Dostoevsky and Dangerous Ideas
John Gray points to lessons from the novels of Dostoevsky about the danger of ideas, such as misguided idealism sweeping away tyrannies without regard for the risks of anarchy.
John Gray points to lessons from the novels of Dostoevsky about the danger of ideas such as misguided idealism sweeping away tyrannies without regard for the risks of anarchy. "Dostoevsky suggests that the end result of abandoning morality for the sake of an idea of freedom will be a type of tyranny more extreme than any in the past."
Producer: Sheila Cook.
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A Point of View: The writer who foresaw the rise of the totalitarian state
The 19th Century Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoyevsky wrote about characters who justified murder in the name of their ideological beliefs. For this reason, John Gray argues, he's remained relevant ever since, through the rise of the totalitarian states of the 20th Century, to the "war against terror".
Credits
| Role | Contributor |
|---|---|
| Presenter | John Gray |
| Producer | Sheila Cook |
Broadcasts
- Fri 21 Nov 201420:50BBC Radio 4
- Sun 23 Nov 201408:48BBC Radio 4
Podcast
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A Point of View
A weekly reflection on a topical issue.
